There are times when you just shouldn’t interrupt a forwarder operator as you can tell that things could turn to sh*t real quick if they are distracted. That is the case in the first two minutes down the “suicide track” on Kent McKerras’ log site on River Ridge, a forest managed by Forest 360 about 25 minutes north of Whanganui.
The NZ Logger Iron Test team arrive at the top load-out skid to test drive a Tatra 8x8 forwarder but I also want to talk to Kent down at the bottom skid and felling face.
We could take our Nissan Patrol down there – it has big boots and bull bars to handle the conditions, but I opt to ride in the passenger seat of the 8-wheel drive Tatra while Iron Tester, Halsten Ogilwy, unloads the second Tatra with the Hyundai 290 which he has fallen in love with.
But first we get busy throwing open the doors on the Tatra, folding down the bull bar and jacking the cab forward with a metre-long jack handle to see what makes this thing tick. It’s a pretty heavy cab. The air-cooled V8 diesel has done about 30,000 km according to the service stickers. The filters are not too difficult to get at and there is a surprisingly large intercooler on top of the engine. I have to climb on top of the headboard to get a decent photo of it. Looking back there is a tailboard as well, so zero chaining and unchaining of logs required which is a great time-saving feature. This bolster and board set-up was built by JDT Engineering in Whanganui and judging by the steep grade we are about to drive down, the tailboard will be getting a lot of use on the loaded uphill climb.
Fast forwarding
Compared to purpose-built forwarders, the Tatra is fast. Too fast for my liking on this steep, damp track. While a dedicated forestry forwarder will do 7 to 17.5 kph, this Czech Republic-made unit will do a bit over 30 kph in this terrain unloaded, with a top speed of 110 kph in better grades and harder surfaces. I take a careful look at operator, Malcolm Young, to make sure he hasn’t passed out because we are going way too quick given the slope, knee deep ruts and recent record rainfall. Yep, he looks fully conscious. He is in his early sixties and a fairly competent looking bloke, and very focussed on the track. Just for a fleeting moment the Barry Crump and Scotty Hilux advert springs to mind, “arghh Barry arghh!” I brush that thought aside. This bloke is just used to the track, he knows what’s going on here, surely? I decide against asking questions and get the video camera rolling because this is going to be an epic ride.
The suicide track is quite scary to be honest and let me reassure you I don’t scare easy, having grown up and learnt to drive on Motu Road which the World Rally nicknamed The...
